Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Déjà Vu

Uh-oh! We are informed that this review also appears (in whole or in part) on rusty81.altervista.org

Dirty, ugly, pernicious affair when you have to tackle a review concerning a sacred monster like this one. The year 1970, from a musical and other perspectives, is magically opulent in facts, for better or worse: Bob Dylan seems to be a recluse after the famous motorcycle accident, light-years away from the image that had accompanied him over the years and earned him fame; the Beatles, after an artistic career of the highest level, a barrage of vitriolic statements, the difficult economic feud, erect an insipid epitaph, a cardboard tombstone (unjust judgment of the NME) called "Let It Be", breaking the hearts of millions of fans; the Rolling Stones insist on flaunting their new decadent, necrophilic, and gothic image to the world, now close to abandoning their homeland for France due to problems with the British tax authorities. With Apollo 13, NASA regains popularity with an event that could have turned into tragedy, calling it "a successful failure", the first flight of the Boeing 747 is under the Pan American brand; in Greece, General Papadopoulos with a coup establishes the "Colonels' dictatorship". The Isle of Wight Festival assumes cyclopean dimensions: six hundred thousand estimated attendees; the Who produce the greatest live ever recorded. The progressive scene boards are taken by big names such as ELP, Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Caravan, Jethro Tull. But who is this supergroup after all? David Crosby: not very flashy but not the last wheel of the glorious Byrds; sidelined by the emulative talent of Roger McGuinn, he seeks ways out to express his capabilities. And he succeeds, leaving the band and producing the eponymous album with Stills and Nash. Stephen Stills: a composer endowed with an indomitable compositional talent, author of that generational anthem named For What It's Worth. By a hair, he is not part of a certain Jimi Hendrix's team and after Buffalo Springfield, he unsuccessfully attempts an understanding with Mike Bloomfield. Graham Nash: imagine the quick, ready-made reply, at times a bit stiff, to the Beatles (not without considerable talents); well, that is the band of this young man, who, fearing the decline in sales of the Hollies, decides to pay homage to Christopher Columbus, by crossing the Ocean. Neil Young: remember that Canadian with the big mustache, accused of racism by Lynyrd Skynyrd, who dug into the heart of folk, unearthed the gems, and brought them to the shining light of the sacred flame of rock? Well, he too is part of BS, intrigued by the group, he decides to make a stopover. The four meet at the Woodstock festival, smile amicably, and decide to record CSN, without Young, better known as the couch. A year later the four reunite and release an album that, along with that of The Band and The Beatles, is the second most awaited album in history. And how could one blame this aspect: it is the result of over 800 hours of work. Can we then say this work was the best album available in '70? Why not. But first, take a look at the past: let's say it is the only album with this lineup (and it's hard to say that Young is not prominent here after the wonder of After The Gold Rush). Let's take it one step further, since we're at it: in the troubled existence of this band, maybe this album is inferior to the same 'couch' (as "I Could Remember My Name" is an authentic compendium of comparative psychedelia). If then someone wants to make it a matter of genre, another Canadian (Joni Mitchell) gave to "Ladies Of The Canyon" and then the year after "Blue" which are both better than Déjà Vu. But this album is still a milestone even if the average remains flat. You immediately fall in love with "Teach Your Children" and the blues of "4+20", right? But then why is this album looked upon with so much admiration and nostalgia, right from the cover, worthy of Sgt Pepper's or "Houses Of The Holy", despite its flaws? Why do I myself, born 2 decades after the release, jealously guard a copy? Because Déjà Vu has the extraordinary spell of keeping the four too spacious personalities of CSN&Y united, especially when considering that shortly thereafter, the quartet would embark on a one-way crossroads.